Followers

...encouragement from Charles Spurgeon as to why we read God's Word! May this year find you more in love with the God of the Holy Scriptures as you discover more of Him through it.

Beware of the Babylonian books of the present day! The truth of God is the only treasure for which we seek, and the Scripture is the only field in which we dig for it! If you keep close to the inspired book, you can suffer no harm; you are at the fountain-head of all moral and spiritual good. This is fit food for the people of God--this is the bread which nourishes the highest life.

The prayerful study of the Word is not only a means of instruction--but an act of devotion wherein the transforming power of grace is often exercised, changing us into the image of Christ, of whom the Word is a mirror.

Within the Scripture, there is a balm for every wound, a salve for every sore. Oh, the wondrous power in the Scripture to create a heart of hope, within the ribs of despair! Amidst sharp and strong temptations, and fierce and bitter trials, the Word of the Lord has preserved us. Amidst discouragements which damped our hopes, and disappointments which wounded our hearts, our Bibles have brought us a secret, unconquerable consolation.

There is no true doctrine which has not been fruitful in good works. Payson wisely said, "If there is one fact, one doctrine, or promise in the Bible, which has produced no practical effect upon your temper or conduct--be assured that you do not truly believe it."

The "doctrines of grace" produce . . . a fine morality, a stern integrity, a delicate purity, a devout holiness, consecration in life, calm resignation in the hour of suffering, joyful confidence in the article of death.This must be a true gospel--which can produce such lives as these!

2009 is nearly over, and it's time to start thinking about next year's reading plans! I don't know about you, but I'm really excited to have a fresh start!

Taraleigh just sent me an amazing resource, but I haven't had time to look it over thoroughly. It's 20+ read through the Bible plans to help you stay on track in the New Year.

I realize that everyone's plans change, but I hope you'll consider staying with us for another year. Kindly comment to this post, or e-mail me: debiwalter@gmail.com and let me know your plans for next year. Also, include whether you'll be reading through the whole Bible, New Testament or Old Testament only, or whatever. I'd appreciate it!

The year is quickly coming to an end and so is another trip through God's Word. I have prayed for you, and I'm confident that regardless of how far you've made it on this road God has met you in special ways.

Please start praying about next year and what the Lord would have you do. I will continue to provide encouragement next year to those who once again want to travel with me. I appreciate each of you.

Watch for an evite soon about our end of the year celebration dinner at my home. I can't wait to welcome you and congratulate you! Have a very Merry Christmas!

What a rich message we heard preached today by Josh Harris titled, Trusting The Lord. I highly recommend you to listen to it as soon as possible - he spoke of 3 Exhortations we receive from Proverbs 3:5-6

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart,and do not lean on your own understanding.In all your ways acknowledge him,and he will make straight your paths."

We are nearing the end of our journey together. Here is our last assignment for this study on the book of Hebrews:

Read Hebrews 13:18-25Read Bible Speaks Today - pgs. 267-272

May you have a wonderful week celebrating all the things for which we are thankful! Happy Thanksgiving!

I encourage you to take some time to delve into it - provided by christiancounseling.com, it is sure to help you if you're struggling with motivation, or if you're needing encouragement in difficulty. God's Word is all we need!

The message given today by Danny was one of his best! It was full of faith and resolve as to why we do what we do! If you were unable to hear it - this is a must for all members! Thank you, Danny for the way you are leading us!

Read Hebrews 13:17-19Read The Bible Speaks Today pgs. 263-267

Spend time this week praying specifically for our Leadership Team. They need our support and help to do the job God has given them.

Whenever I am away on a trip, and the time is approaching for it to be over; I've found there are two tendencies:

One is to suddenly find your heart ready to go home.

Two is to wish you didn't have to leave.

It is the same with us. As we've traveled through God's Word maybe now you find yourself longing to be with Him in the place we will one day call Home. This is the result of reading and absorbing the Bible. We realize the journey isn't the end, but the destination to which it leads us - Heaven.

However, there have been wonderful trips where I didn't want to come home! This was due in large part because of the ones with whom I was traveling. But it was also because the place I was vacationing was so beautiful.

Both are legitimate responses to a great trip. Maybe you're in the second group and ended up throughout the year being caught up with other aspects of your life in God. You aren't ready to stop because there is still so much you want to see! Or maybe you're about to finish the goal and you're wondering what's next?

The good news is as long as God chooses for us to remain on this earth - we have another year! The road we travel next year will be the same - God's Word...but I guarantee you the scenery will look differently; It always does!

So whether you're finished or not - both are fine. God is faithfully leading us on the ancient road, and He alone will insure we see and enjoy all He has for us!

Have you felt the nearness of God as we've journeyed these 11 months through the book of Hebrews? I must admit there have been times when my feelings weren't front and center, but God's Word always was! I have learned more this year how to persevere diligently even when my feelings weren't on board, than any other year. It has been a good year.

So as we're nearing the end of this road for this year, it's time to begin planning our end of the year party. Simply comment to this post if you're planning to finish the trip. I can't wait to celebrate with you!

This week's assignment is posted below, but first I wanted to "fill you up" with some much needed encouragement. Our pastor, Danny Jones, sent the following message to spur us on in our pursuit of knowing God through the Scriptures:

"I wanted to send this note to everyone on the Route 66 list and let you know how much I appreciate your diligence, love for Scripture, the Savior, and our church! I absolutely love the way you are working through our statement of faith (see sidebar)! Brilliant idea and one that I trust will bear much fruit. May you be filled with encouragement to continue on your journey."

I don't know about you, but this journey, although slower for me, has been more difficult. I have found it more of a challenge just to be still! It's time to pull off to a Rest Area and enjoy the scenery for a moment. May you be encouraged!

I wanted to tell you...I had one of those nights last night where sleep doesn't ever come completely, and the Lord led me to pray for you! I wanted you to know that I asked our generous Father in Heaven to pour fresh grace upon you. I pray you sense His help in all things today, including reading His Word.

We have made it three-fourths of the way on our journey. May I encourage you to continue shuffling in the right direction...if this is all you're able to do? The goal is to run, but this isn't always possible. So whatever strength God gives - let's hide His Word in our hearts daily.

This is the last week of our detour on the road of Faith. If you missed Jesse Phillips message this morning on Faith and Vocation, you can access it through Metro's link to the left of this post.

For this week we're going to re-read Hebrews chapters 1 - 12 to prepare our hearts and minds for the return to our regular reading schedule including The Bible Speaks Today commentary. Have a wonderful week reviewing all that God has revealed to you through His Word so far this past year!

A friend showed me a great website called Sermon Jams. Check it out here for a great clip on Wisdom - this past week's theme from Proverbs 1 - 9. This week's reading assignment is to read the 4 chapters of 2 Timothy.

This week Benny Phillips preached on Faith and Parenting and what an inspiring message God's Word provides for us. If you were unable to hear it - be sure to follow the link on the left. It will be an hour well-spent.

Benny mentioned that with parenting we need curriculum to learn how best to teach and train our children. God has provided this for us in the first nine chapters of Proverbs. It was the Word of God the writer of Hebrews was referring to as he instructed this growing church. So for our reading this week, we're going to read through Proverbs 1 - 9 and pray that God will help our faith to grow as parents. If you're not a parent may this inspire you to pray for those we are!

For the month of September we'll be taking a purposeful detour, in order to work on our road of Faith in everyday life. This week Danny spoke on Faith in Sports and Leisure; what an unusual, but very practical message for how our faith is to express itself as we grow day by day closer to God.

This week during our devotions we'll be reading the following article:_________________________________________________________________________

Why Do We Do Sports?

Metro Life Church participates in sports because of the unique opportunities it affords us to experience faith and life together, and to proclaim and demonstrate the gospel.

Sports. Politics. Money. Few things excite more passion, consume more attention and reveal more sin and idolatry than these American past times. These are things people live for, and seem to be willing to die for. They are things that require Christians to exercise wisdom when navigating the various temptations that arise.

As we participate in sports as a church, it’s important that we understand why do the things that we do. Perhaps it seems that we do basketball for the sake of doing basketball. This is certainly an understandable perception, given the pervasive idolatry of sports in our culture. But we are not promoting basketball for the sake of basketball. There are virtuous things that we value as a church that the basketball program has a unique opportunity to promote.

As we prepare for another season, I wanted to take a minute to lay out a number of things that we value as Christians and as a church that basketball provides an excellent opportunity to experience and pursue.

1. Taking advantage of common opportunities for uncommon grace

The reality is that our men and women in our church are going to be playing sports whether we officially promote them or not. In our culture sports is a hobby uniquely full of temptation and opportunities for growth and discipleship. If your hobby were chess, for example this wouldn’t be the case. The culture is not bombarding you with temptations to idolize chess masters. When engaged in a chess match, there’s not the same social dynamic of public transparency and opportunities for simultaneous interpersonal connections with friend (teammates), foe (the other team) and authority (coaches and referees).

For much the same purpose that people would home school, to be able to have more direct contact in the midst of the educational process than they would have in the public or private schools, to better influence and inform the mind and prepare to handle temptations, we also think that providing a place for sports in the context of the church allows us to protect our members from the worldly perspectives on how to handle various temptations in sports, and provides invaluable teaching moments for those who are sufficiently discerning.

God hasn’t made spiritual growth a mystery. If he had, none of us would grow. In the kindness of God, he descends to our level and relates to us in ways that we can understand. He uses even the most mundane and simple things to produce fruit by his grace. The vast majority of true spiritual growth does not take place in meetings, conferences or retreats. Although these things are valuable, most change takes place in the everyday occurrence of the routine, as God uses the simple things like jobs, schoolwork and hobbies to conform us into his image. As the Word of God is preached, inspired by the Holy Spirit to renew our minds, the transformative outworking of that Word takes place in common contexts of everyday life, such as a volleyball court or soccer field.

Recognizing that this is how God works, effective spiritual leadership and discipleship requires a high degree of sensitivity to the potency of common activities to mediate uncommon grace. As a church we have simply recognized that sports, like so many other common things, tends to provide unique access to the sanctifying grace of God, and beneficial pursuit of reality and practice of Christian virtues and our church values.

Quite simply, sports help make us like Christ. Let’s examine exactly how this happens.

2. Practicing our church values

1. Biblical fellowship: One of our values as a church is building relationships and biblical fellowship. God has created us in such a way that we naturally enjoy being around people with the same common interests. Although this can be used in a sinful way, by producing selfish isolation, this also provides many opportunities to build relationships that would have not otherwise been forged. The enjoyment of playing sports is shared among a vast majority of men and women. This cultural reality provides a unique opportunity to provide a context for relational building and fellowship. In the same manner of fishing trips, family vacations, birthday parties and trips to amusement parks, playing sports sparks relationships, memories and common grace enjoyment of other people among participants in unique ways not available to those who don’t participate.

2. Spiritual growth: One of the most important signs of spiritual health is our sanctification and discipleship. In God’s kindness, he hasn’t kept spiritual growth a mystery. He provides natural ways for us to enjoy the work of the Spirit producing the character of Christ. Our jobs provide contexts for spiritual growth. Our parenting also presents unique challenges to mortify sin. These are all avenues that our kind Lord graciously allows us to encounter, to bring us to face with spiritual growth, and allow us to see our need for discipleship. In a similar way, sports have a unique way of revealing needs for sanctification and discipleship. Few things reveal the heart more than not getting the call you want in the heat of battle at a crucial part of the game in front of a large group of people. Sports, like jobs and parenting, is a frequently used vehicle for divinely ordained sanctification and discipleship.

3. Outreach: In a similar way that God uses common grace vehicles for sanctification biblical fellowship, he also uses sports and its appeal to allow Christians to interact with other non-Christians in real-life settings with great potential for the fragrance of Christ to be shared with those in need of the gospel. An individual who would never otherwise step in a church building might come to play in a gym. A wayward Christian sitting on the fence might jump back into the life of the church through the simple enjoyment of a game. For an unbeliever to witness a Christian handling a difficult game-situation with class that he never witnessed with his non-Christian friends, can present a compelling witness of the power of the gospel to individuals that would not have otherwise been looking.

4. Responsibility: in addition to providing contexts for discipleship, fellowship and outreach, there are also many opportunities to grow in areas of responsibilities. Coaches and captains are entrusted with the responsibility for their team (see leadership development below). God uses game settings to entrust men and women with opportunities to handle challenges, encourage their teammates and learn valuable life lessons, particularly for students and younger children.

5. Teachability: few things reveal the heart more than how teachable we are and how we respond to correction. When a referee makes a call we disagree with, our natural assumption is to assume we are right. This tendency is not limited to sports, obviously. When our bosses, spouses or church leaders say something we disagree with, our natural assumption is that our perception and opinions are right, and those who disagree with us are wrong. Whenever there is conflict, there are teachable moments, and sports are no exception. God can use moments of conflict and disagreement with officials, instruction from captains and coaches can provide invaluable lessons in being teachable, considering others opinions more valuable than our own, for those who are able to respond in a Christ-like way.

6. Transparency: Let’s face it; anyone can look good on Sunday morning. It doesn’t take much to come on Sunday, raise your hands, read along in your Bible during the message and even occasionally chime in when an “amen” at choice moments when the preacher is particularly inspired. It’s a little bit more difficult to look good during “real life” situations when things don’t go according to plan. An essential element to growing in character and godliness is being transparent—putting yourself in situations in which people actually see you when you are tempted and know your tendencies during those moments of temptation. Group activities like sports tend to produce a level of transparency that other social activities do not. Even in home group or other church related activities it is easy to hide for those who do not want to be transparent. Athletic competition tends to blow through the pretense, allowing people to be seen for who they really are. Sometimes it can be surprising or even embarrassing. We see things in each other that might be shocking, as people respond in ways we never thought they would. This is priceless, because it produces a level of transparency that exposes sin that had remained hidden in other settings.

7. Accountability: related to the issue of transparency, sports provide opportunities for accountability. Men and women, made freshly aware of one another’s unique temptations, can challenge one another to confess and mortify sin and to grow. With regular games, there is also a built in mechanism of measuring progress. Players can be evaluated to see if they responded better toward the end of the season than they did at the beginning. Players who do not seem to lose progress can be challenged with real-life examples to see their need to freshly commit to mortify their sin and address their own hearts.

8. Humility: The opportunities for humility in sports are as endless as they are priceless. Missed shots are humbling. Sitting on the bench is humbling. Realizing how out of shape you are is humbling. Countless men have entered games with great esteem for themselves, with exponentially overstated estimation of their talent, only to have the harsh realities of age and post-graduate athletic deterioration splash in their face like cold water, rudely awakening them from the fantasy of stardom that should have died long ago. Age is no respecter of persons. Fatigue leaves no survivors. All who play will be humbled.

9. Leadership development: sports contexts can excel at producing opportunities for leadership development. This is particularly true for high school sports, but applies to all levels. With gifting comes responsibility. Players who are more gifted will find people naturally looking to them for direction and inspiration on the basketball court, much like they will in the office or church later on in life. Further, valuable lessons in patience can be learned. Players who are quicker to catch on learn how to constructively lead others, resisting impatience at the lack of progress. There’s also the tension of leading while still under leadership. Captains find the balance between being a leader on the court while remaining under the leadership of both the coach and officials. Folks who do this well on a court often find themselves doing it well at work, where they lead project teams while reporting to executives, or in church where they lead ministry teams under the leadership of pastors.

10. Respect for authority: this is probably the hardest lesson to learn, both in life and in sports. We all have an innate loathing of authority. We believe that we should be the authority. While authority is something we tolerate when we agree with it, the slightest disagreement produces judgments in our hearts, as we begin to assume the worst motives, and self-righteously congratulate ourselves that if we were in the position of authority, we would do a much better job. This attitude arises in us when we are children and continues throughout our lives if not mortified. In all its forms, whether spiritual authority, government authority or basketball coaches and officials, authority is often suspect at best, and evil at worst. Never is this more clearly illustrated, than in countless game situations where there is a disagreement between the referees and the players about what exactly transpired during a play. Amazingly, two or three different people can look at the same play, in slow motion, and form two or three different opinions as to what happened. Players, when disagreeing with those in authority, learn valuable lessons in how to submit even it’s difficult, deferring their preferences and ultimately trusting God for justice and governance.

11. Trust in leadership: this is related to respect for authority, although more broad. Not only are we taught to respect authority, but to trust those God puts in leadership over us. We must learn how to trust them and believe the best about them even when they make mistakes. Christians entrust themselves to fallible people, because they recognize that all authority is established by God, who is infallible. This trust in leadership, even through the tension of conflict and disagreement in the context of sports, will provide a reservoir invaluable teaching that can be drawn upon when it really matters in life outside the court.

12. Strong work ethic: God has instilled in all of us a desire to work hard at whatever we do for his glory. This ethic is bombarded with the cultural idolization of ease and lure of laziness. Sports provides a wonderful opportunity to press on when things get difficult, to not fold at the first sign of trouble and to persevere through pain and hardship. There are no guarantees. Just because you play to win, doesn’t mean you will win. The very fact that all of this hard work might not pay off in the end only motivates greater effort to assure that won’t happen. Principled refusal to quit in games often morphs into Christ-like endurance of hardship for a future greater good. Men will learn how to be good businessmen through sports. Women will learn how to be suitable helpers in a similar way, as God uses sports contexts to teach lessons that matter when the games are over.

13. Competition: it might be surprising to see competition listed as a Christian virtue and value, given how sinful competitive people can be at times. However, simply defined as doing something with the intent of succeeding, competition reflects the character of God and is therefore a virtuous endeavor. Although it comes with many temptations to sin, if we can learn to navigate those temptations, we will be positioned to honor God in many ways. There is no context that better teaches us how to compete while resisting related temptations than sports. Although this point cannot be fully developed now, this point on competition is one of the primary benefits to sports, and motivations for our churches participation in them, given the pervasive misunderstanding of this issue today.

14. Servant hood: Last but not least important, is the issue of servant hood. In a culture that teaches us that the world exists to serve the athletes, particularly the good ones, sports provides a wonderful context to serve each other. Role players give up recognition for the success of the team much like men and women will sacrifice preference and notoriety for the sake of discreet service in the church, workplace and in their families. I’ve wondered if Jesus was a pitcher, if he might be the setup man, never starting or taking the majority of pitches, nor closing or sharing the spotlight in the games final innings, simply serving and quietly living to bless other people. That’s how Christ lived, and although it’s somewhat sacrilegious to think of Christ playing American sports, the point remains: we can learn to be like Christ in the way that we defer our own interests, giving up playing time, unselfishly passing and play our role to make other people better. Lessons learned here on the court and field can be applied when it matters later on in life.

We have examined fourteen virtues and values that sports helps us pursue. What is the sum total of this: the perseverance of the saints. The God who saves us preserves us and maintains us, making us more like Christ until we are glorified. That’s what sports can do, play a small part in that process. As we engage and change, confess and mortify, serve and relate, may the glory and fragrance of Christ permeate our lives, bringing extraordinary grace and meaning to the mundane. Isn’t it amazing that our God is so wise that he can use even something as insignificant and otherwise meaningless as sports and transform it into a vehicle that preserves us and makes us more like him!

Are you one to think of the cup as half empty or half full? Knowing the answer to this question will help motivate you to finish the journey well.

It's hard to believe we've been traveling together now for eight full months. And God has been with us in every page we've read of His amazing story. What a blessing to have such a companion, such a friend. The Lord kindly reminded me this morning that I am more sinful and flawed than I realize, but I am more welcomed and loved than I ever dreamed. We can get caught up into thinking God is pleased or displeased with us based on how we're doing in our daily devotions. This couldn't be farther from the Truth. He is always pleased because when He sees us, He sees the reflection of His Son. He doesn't see our lack, but He focuses on what His Spirit is doing in and through us for His glory.

Let this Truth provide fuel for the rest of your journey. I'm looking forward to celebrating with you all in January 2010 what God has done. Our cup is nearly full, let's not be satisfied until we reach the top!

I have to admit that the past few weeks have been difficult in thinking of ways to encourage us on our journey. I've been praying about what to say or how to relate what my discouragements have been to everyone in an honest way without grumbling or complaining. It feels like I set out on this journey thinking I would be in a nice comfortable car, only to discover my car is a covered wagon! The pace is much slower, very bumpy and not one bit comfortable.

When I first discovered I wouldn't finish the Old Testament this year...I was full of faith and fine with it. However, each morning I've noticed an increased feeling that I'm standing still. That's when the perfect metaphor hit me; whenever a driver feels as if they're standing still and the road is moving, it's a clue they're about to fall asleep at the wheel. It's adamant to pull over and stretch in order to wake up.

So today, I'm pulling over to confess to you my discouragement hoping this will provide the grace I need to wake up. By God's grace I haven't stopped my journey, but I could very easily. I must fight this temptation because I need to continue moving forward no matter how slow the pace. I must because this is what my soul needs.

How about you? Are you feeling lethargic at the wheel? Let's pray for each other and confess our weaknesses. We need God's help and strength to do this and the good news is He never slumbers nor sleeps.

"What is the message that your life shouts? Does it declare that I believe God? Not just acknowledging Jesus' accomplishments, but DO I BELIEVE GOD? This is how we please God; we believe Him and line our lives up to this reality." Benny Phillips

Good Afternoon Travelers! I pray your journey is going along steady and sure. It's important not to veer off the path the Lord has set before us. This is where the road becomes rough and unpredictable. Stay the course, and God will surely lead us on!

This week:

Read Hebrews 10:26-39Read Bible Speaks Today pages 189-195

For further study - continue reading, The Holiness of God, by R.C. Sproul.

Have you ever miscalculated the distance you've traveled only to realize you're only halfway there?

A few years ago, Tom and I were in Sequoia National Park and decided to go on a hike. The guide at our lodge gave us the directions of how to get to the head of the trail, and then follow signs along the way. We were intrigued by the halfway mark titled "Goliath". We found what we thought was Goliath - a large tree on its side - and were glad to see we were making fast progress through the woods. Imagine our discouragement when, thinking we were almost to the end of the trail, we came upon the real "Goliath". Could it be we're only halfway? I wanted to quit, but we didn't have that choice, since our car was waiting for us at the end. To make things worse it was nearing sunset, and we weren't prepared for nighttime in the dense forest. I was truly discouraged and afraid.

Similarly, two days ago I awoke and began my devotions as usual. For some reason, on this morning, I realized I was only in 2 Samuel, and it was the end of July. I wondered how I was going to finish the Old Testament by the years end, when I saw it - a second column of Old Testament reading assignments! Somehow I had failed to notice this for 7 whole months!

My first reaction was "Oh no! I'll never catch up - I'm not going to finish my reading this year!"

But quickly I heard the Lord say, "Rest assured, I'm in this, and you'll be needing the Scriptures I have assigned for you as you read them on this delayed route."

I had to laugh!

Then, I thought of others who are on this road with me that may be behind. Please don't give in to discouragement - God is leading you just as He is me. He will give us exactly what we need on the day we need it, whether or not we arrive at our destination when we think we should. The good news is there is no danger in a forest after dark when the Lord of Hosts is leading the way!

Did you know that the historic Route 66 is hardly visible these days? If you want to travel this old highway, you must first map out your route using the computer in order to know where to go and how to get there.

In studying the book of Hebrews this year, I've become quite familiar with the Old Covenant and the way God used to relate to His people. When Christ came it was as if a new road was built alongside the old road. Although we're still going in the same direction, now our way is sure! Christ has literally paved the way for us; No more pot holes of the old sacrificial laws. Praise God!

As we travel through the Old Covenant we know that it is pointing ahead to the New Covenant. As Mike Nash so excellently preached this morning - the Old is only a shadow of the great highway to come, the highway of holiness!

So may I encourage you to continue moving forward through God's Word? You never know when you're going to hear exactly what you need to hear on any given day. One thing is certain - we know God is going to complete this journey with us.

I had the opportunity one year to go on a road trip with my Mom through the mid west with my children. We happened upon a little town where Laura Ingalls lived and went to school. Upon entering the one room school house, we were able to imagine what life was like for her in her day and time. It was a wonderful excursion, but I left feeling grateful for indoor plumbing and electricity. Life was hard for her then, and it made me appreciate life now.

This week we're doing a similar excursion. We're going to stop and tour the place of the Old Covenant - like a one room school house - the tent of meeting was the central place where the Israelites gathered on the Day of Atonement to receive forgiveness of sin. The purpose is to reflect on how hard life was for them then, and to grow in our gratefulness and affection for inward atonement, the grace of God and the New Covenant. What an undeserved gift Jesus Christ is to sinners.

You know I've been thinking a lot about bumpy roads. We have a road near our home that has speed bumps in regular intervals for about a mile. Whenever I take that road I know I'm going to go over those bumps! When my children were little they used to beg me to go down "the bumpy road" because it was fun to them! And it can be great fun - that is when we see it coming!

But what about driving over unexpected potholes! I have done this before and my first thought was..."oh no, now my alignment will have to be adjusted!" It was more than disconcerting.

It's the same way as we travel Route 66. We can take the bumps we know are coming without difficulty, but it's those unexpected potholes that can really mess with our alignment! The good news is that God sees it all - even the bumps we don't anticipate! He wants us to cling to Him in such moments, not to the ability of our cars to go the distance.

Has your trip been interrupted by unforeseen potholes? Are you needing realignment with the Truths of Scripture? This is all part of God's plan - so don't give in to panic and despair. Instead, rejoice that your Heavenly Father has taken notice of you along the way...AND He's continuing His plan in the midst of your trouble.

Bring on the potholes, if they are means to realign our hearts with what matters most! After all, this is the point; not only reading Scripture, but learning to apply it to the potholes of our lives - for His glory!

Somehow "Weekly Assignment" sounds so uninviting, yet reading God's Word should be inviting to the Christian soul. I think a better term to use would be "Weekly Oil". A car's engine needs good clean oil to run smoothly, and we, too, need the oil of the Spirit to live our lives as God intends. It is impossible to read consistently through God's Word without the oil of His Spirit leading us to do so.

Be encouraged! God has placed this worthwhile desire in your engine, and He's provided the oil you need to go the distance. Don't be discouraged if your oil needs changing - God provides that as well! Only this morning at Metro Life Church God poured His Spirit upon us in a fresh way. I pray that each of you received fresh motivation as His Word was preached to us boldly. If you missed the service, you can listen to it on line through Metro Life Church's website (see link to the left of this post!)

As we celebrate our nation's independence this week - remember to thank God for the freedom we have to read His Word. There are countries where the road we're traveling is illegal. What a privilege and fresh reason to celebrate! Have a happy and safe Fourth of July!

Road trips from the early 60's often included passing through little towns. Many of which had their own drive-in movie theaters. What a welcome break from the trip, to sit back and enjoy a show together as a family under the stars. The parents would often allow the kids to watch the first show, but required them to fall asleep for the second as it was often more "mature", plus it would be getting late.

I offer you today a break from your normal trip - a drive in movie of sorts. However, this slide show is suitable for all ages, and I pray you'll find its storyline inspirational for the road ahead. Sit back, turn up the volume on your screen and enjoy...

Octavious Winslow (1808-1878) offers us a great reminder today like a billboard advertising TRUTH! It is a sign worth reading word for word! Won't you stop at a nearby rest area, grab a favorite drink and be encouraged by the wisdom of this pilgrim of our faith?

Are you, beloved, walking in the midst of trouble? Think not that you are alone. May your eye of faith be "anointed with fresh eye-salve," to see One walking side by side with you, the same who walked with the three children through the fiery furnace, "whose form is like the Son of God." Yes! Jesus is with you in your trial. Christ is with you in your trouble. The path, however strait, is not so narrow that your Lord cannot tread it with you, side by side. Your way is not so intricate that He cannot enable you to thread your steps through the labyrinth. There is room enough for you and Christ to walk together. He is with you; though, like the two disciples journeying in mournful communion one with the other to Emmaus, your eyes may be so blurred that you see Him not, yet is He traveling with you along that sad and mournful, that lone and pensive path. Christ is in your adversity- Christ is in your cross- Christ is in your burden- Christ is in your suffering- Christ is in your persecution- Christ is m your sickness- yes, Christ is at your side every step you take, and He will conduct you safely to your Father's house. Though you walk in the midst of trouble, He will revive you.

And, Christ is with us as we travel through the pages of His Word, whether we understand it or not. He will guide us into the Truth He has for us today! Like an inspiring billboard, we certainly don't want to miss it! Look up...Our help draweth nigh!

We have a problem with our car's air conditioning system...two of the vents will randomly turn to heat requiring me to close the vents. Nothing is less refreshing than having hot air blown in your face on a hot, humid day! Does this make me want to park the car and walk? No, but it certainly temps me to complain and wish I had a different vehicle to drive.

I'm struck this morning with how this relates to our journey on Route 66. If we were literally traveling this road, there are segments that go directly through miles of hot, dry desert. If the air isn't working the trip is still possible, just not nearly as comfortable.

How is your journey progressing? Do you feel uncomfortable? Irritable? like hot air is blowing in your face? Be encouraged! This is part of the journey and is not because you are not making progress. We can be tempted to believe that when things are going well and are easy then we're certainly in God's will. But this isn't biblical thinking! God takes us through all sorts of terrain and weather extremes to prove the motives behind our journey.

Remember the moment you sensed God calling to follow Route 66 this year. Ask Him to remind you of the purpose and the goal of this journey and for His help in continuing to move forward. The desert can't last forever, and we never know when an oasis of refreshment will be just around the next bend. We don't want to miss that do we?

We're up to speed again with the Hebrews Study plan. What a purposeful break it has been - hearing C.J. Mahaney and Dave Harvey speak at Metro successive weeks was wonderful. If you missed hearing them - click on their names above to access the audio messages.

Read Hebrews 5:11-6:8Read The Bible Speaks Today, pages 103-116

Our further study assignment is to begin reading, Apostasy From The Gospel, by John Owen. Below is what the back cover has to say about this helpful book:

Few subjects have received less attention from contemporary Christian writers than that of apostasy. The idea that professing Christians may prove not to be true Christians is, in many respects, too serious a prospect for our facile age. But, for John Owen, such avoidance of the issue was itself a pressing reason for writing on it at length and in great depth of spiritual analysis. His exposition is a masterpiece of penetration and discernment.

We have all heard this question asked on road trips - either by your children, recently, or by yourself when you were the impatient child in the back seat. In either case it makes the journey quite stressful.

Last week I posted about unwelcome hitchhikers, namely sin, that tries to hijack our journey. This week it's the critic within that makes our journey miserable with questions like these, "Are you still behind? Have you not caught up yet? When will you ever find time to do all this reading?" What are we to do in such times? It's not like we can kick ourselves out of the car so we can travel in peace!

The answer is as simple as choosing to whom we'll listen. If you're behind - it's okay - this isn't a race. If you're lacking the time you need, then pray and ask God to multiply what time you do have. It's prayers like these that give us the grace we need to keep pressing forward, even if it's only an inch at a time. After all the journey is about getting to know Him, and the critic within would rather do anything but know God more.

Next time you hear the question, "Are we there yet?" You can say with confidence, "No, but I'll get there soon enough! Now, sit back and enjoy the ride!"

P.S. John Owen's book, Apostasy, is available at Metro's bookstore for $6. We'll start reading it next week with the "further study". Make sure you get your copy on Sunday, or order it online.

Since this week's message is focusing on Mother's Day, we will be delaying our Hebrews Study plan for another week. This week I encourage you to purchase the next "further study" book for the following two weeks. It's by John Owen titled, Apostasy From The Gospel.

Father, I pray for each person traveling Route 66 this year. Thank you for giving them the desire to follow hard after You. Would You help them stay focused and motivated in their daily pursuit of You. We realize that any effort we make to know and love You is only because Your love has drawn us to do so. What an amazing God You are. Thank You for Your Word. Thank You for Your church. Thank You for a biblically sound church that helps us grow and mature. May we not give up if we've fallen behind. I pray that You will give us ears to hear...minds to understand...and a heart that cares.

I realized this morning that I have unknowingly picked up a hitchhiker who isn't a welcomed traveling companion. His name is Anger, and he has been dwelling in my sinful heart - undetected - that is until now.

Three, no four times this weekend my anger welled up towards my husband over stupid things. And what's worse is the fact that once Anger made his presence known - I actually listened to his reasons for traveling with me! Thank God for His Word that helps me to see those hitchhikers that would enter my car, attempting to hijack my journey.

Sin is an ever present obstacle that we must watch out for and repent of when detected. Our Savior is the only traveling companion we need! He will make sure we stay the course and finish the trip. Thankfully, it's Christ alone who can take away those hitchhikers and provide safety in our travels, but we must recognize sins presence in order to repent. When you think about it, the whole purpose of this trip is to travel the ancient road in order to see sin more clearly. In light of this truth, I guess my trip is succeeding!

I encourage you with the following from Mr. Spurgeon:

Have you seen Jesus lately?"But they did not know who He was." Luke 24:16The disciples ought to have recognized Jesus, they had heard His voice so often, and gazed upon that marred face so frequently, that it is amazing that they did not know Him. Yet is it not so with you also? Have you seen Jesus lately? You have been to His table--and you have not met Him there. You are in a dark trouble, and though He plainly says, "It is I--do not be afraid," yet you do not recognize Him. Alas! our eyes are blinded! We know His voice; we have looked into His face; we have leaned our head upon His bosom--and yet, though Christ is very near us, we are saying, "O that I knew where I might find Him!"

We should know Jesus, for we have the Scriptures to reflect His image. Yet how frequently we open that precious book--and have no glimpse of our Well-beloved! Dear child of God, are you in that state? Jesus walks through the glades of Scripture, and desires to commune with His people. Yet you are in the garden of Scripture--but cannot see Him, though He is always there!

Make it your prayer, "Lord, open my eyes--that I may see my Savior present with me!" It is a blessed thing to desire to see Him. But oh! it is better far to gaze upon Him! To those who seek Him--He is kind; but to those who find Him--He is precious beyond expression!

NOTE: Next week our Hebrews study returns. Use this week to catch up or finish Grow In Grace, by Sinclair Ferguson. Enjoy the Journey!

We have a couple of weeks here to catch up if you're behind, or to read the excellent book, Grow In Grace, by Sinclair Ferguson. Having read the first few chapters myself, I thought I might give you a taste of how good this book is:

Picture an army captain hacking his way through a jungle during a battle with guerrilla forces. He leads his men from danger to safety by first facing the dangers, impediments and tests himself. Similarly Jesus is the Captain of our salvation. He has tasted all of our experiences of temptation. He has gone further. He experienced them in their full strength, when they unleashed all their powers against him. Where we would stumble and fall, he has pressed on. He overcame temptation, conquered death and drew its sting. Now he beckons to us: "Follow me, the pathway of faith is safe for all of you to use!" (page 10)

Aren't you grateful that we have such a Captain that has forged a way for us to follow? This journey would not be possible if He hadn't cleared the road before us. What a Savior!

Note: Lisa Chin has several copies available in the bookstore for purchase. They are $8.

As we have just completed one-third of our journey (can you believe it?), I thought it would be a great time to start our very own Travel Log. Won't you take a moment to upload a picture and sign in?

The next two weeks we will be taking a detour, as C.J. Mahaney will be speaking at Metro tomorrow and Dave Harvey next Sunday. Continue your own reading plan - the Hebrews Study will continue as I hear the revised schedule. Happy Traveling!

I had the opportunity today to watch a hawk in our backyard. He was obviously hungry and intent on finding his next meal. His eyes were focused and drawn to the slightest movement on the ground. Then, it happened; he made his move! Diving, he accurately set aground on his prey of choice. However, the lucky lizard wiggled free from his grip and quickly disappeared. Unsuccessful, the hawk returned to his post on the fence - empty-taloned and still hungry! The hunt began again...

Have you ever been really hungry while on the road, but in an unfamiliar place? You want to eat in order to silence the gnawing groans coming from your belly, but each exit lacks a suitable restaurant for your tastes and/or budget. Does this stop your pursuit? No, it actually makes you more desperate in your attempt to eat.

Hunger has a way of elevating our search for food to high alert! This is how it should be as we read each morning. God's Word tells us in Jeremiah 15:16 -

Your words were found, and I ate them,and your words became to me a joyand the delight of my heart,for I am called by your name,O Lord, God of hosts.

What a meal the Lord has provided for us. Sometimes it feels like fast food, yet other times it is the richest feast with the choicest foods! Regardless of how it feels (or we feel for that matter!) - His Word provides much needed nourishment for our life and growth in godliness. May I encourage to continue nibbling, eating and feasting on God's Word. No matter how much we take we are promised that it will not return void but it will accomplish all that God intends!

I bet that hawk wishes he had such a guarantee! Wait!! Now that I think of it he does:

Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! Luke 12:24

P.S. I still haven't heard from most of you about your journey so far! Please comment by going to the earlier post titled: "Time For A Tune Up!"

Going on an extended road trip requires one to make regular stops in order to rest and check the engine making sure it's in good shape to continue. Think of this as your en route tune up and opportunity to visit with others traveling Route 66.

Seventy-seven of us began this trip together in January, and you've heard from me on a regular basis. Now it's your turn! Won't you grab a cold soda from the fridge and take a moment to comment on this post letting us know how the road looks from your window? God speaks to us individually, and what He's saying to you may be exactly what one of our other travelers needs to hear. Please take time to check in and tune up.

We pray you had a wonderful day celebrating Easter! Reading and studying the book of Hebrews this year has helped me to focus more on the true meaning of Easter and why we celebrate. I hope this was your experience as well!

This week:

Read Hebrews 4:14-5:10; Read Bible Speaks Today - pages 93-97

Also, for further study, we'll be reading Chapters 1 & 2 from Sinclair Ferguson's book, Grow In Grace. If you don't have a copy, it will be available in the Metro bookstore this week. Call Lisa for more info.

Can you imagine someone going on a trip in a car whose gas tank only held enough for one day's journey? Each morning before his trip began it would require yet another stop at the filling station. Imagine the consequences if the traveler decided he didn't want to bother with this mundane routine? He wouldn't get very far would he? So it is with us dear travelers; God gives us a daily supply of grace for the road we will travel this day. Whether we sense a heart of gratitude or not, as we fill our tank , it is still giving us exactly what we need. Our feelings are not part of the equation.

Charles Spurgeon supplies us with fresh fuel for our journey:

We cannot eat or wear more than the day's supply of food and clothing. Any surplus gives us the care of storing it, and the anxiety of watching against a thief. One staff aids a traveler--but a bundle of staffs is a heavy burden. Enough is not only as good as a feast--but is all that the greatest glutton can truly enjoy. Enough is all that we should expect--a craving for more than this, is ungrateful. When our Father does not give us more--we should be content with His daily allowance.

Beloved Christian reader, in matters of grace--you need a daily supply. You have no store of grace. Day by day must you seek help from above. It is a very sweet assurance--that a daily portion is provided for you. In the Word, by meditation, in prayer, and waiting upon God--you shall receive renewed grace and strength. In Jesus, all needful things are laid up for you. Never go hungry--while the daily bread of grace is on the table of mercy! Enjoy your continual allowance!

I've heard it said that before you fall asleep while driving, you'll get the feeling that your car is standing still and the road is speeding past you. This is a warning sign to stop and take a break, or risk the chance of falling asleep at the wheel.

How often I've done this with my journey on Route 66; I sit down, Bible in hand; only to be immediately overcome with the sense that life is speeding past like lightning. and I'm going no where. What's the point?

The point is, we were never meant to travel alone. In fact, the Lord doesn't want us to even drive! He wants us to sit next to Him in the passenger seat and fully enjoy the view. There will be times when there isn't much to see, but we're with Him! That, my friend, is the point! Being with Him no matter what life is throwing your way gives meaning and purpose to the road we're traveling.

I've often thought about vacationers that come to Florida and all they see is International Drive. When they go home they talk about their time in Florida as if they've really experienced it. You and I know that I-Drive can't compare to a pontoon boat ride down the St. John's River, or a day spent on a quiet beach; That's the real Florida!

In the same way we can be tempted to think we've seen all that God wants us to see in His Word, when we've failed to see the best part! This is what makes commentaries so helpful - it's like a personal tour guide taking us to the real places of interest. I'm finding this to be true this week with the extra reading of The Enemy Within. It's opening my eyes to see the Word in ways I would have never known I'd missed otherwise. Thank you God, for this road trip that takes us to the not-so-popular places that are better than what I've ever seen before.

I pray your journey is progressing. If you've found yourself stuck in traffic on I-Drive - call a friend for help out of the city to a more peaceful place. It will be worth your time and effort - like a trip on the river...you never know what's around the bend.

Have you ever been on a trip and realized that you missed something along the way that you knew you needed to see? So what do you do? You make a U-Turn and go back. This is what I just did - you see, my trip has been full of many distractions these past few weeks, and I missed something God wanted me to hear. It was Mark Altrogge's message on Gratefulness, and I'm so glad that I took the time to go back! I needed to hear what he preached on this day in these circumstances.

How is it with your trip? Are you speeding along and missing important stops along the way? May I encourage you that the goal isn't so much the trip as it is the journey! Take time to enjoy it, and when God prompts you to stop, even if you're slow to hear requiring a U-Turn, do it. You'll never know what God has for you if you speed along and miss God's main "points of interest". After all, this is the point isn't it? Seeing and enjoying what He has for us along the route.

I don't know about you, but doing The Bible Speaks Today reading a little each day has been a bit disjointed for me. I end up having to read back over the previous days in order to remember the context of what I'm currently reading. I've decided to start reading the Hebrews Commentary portion of my devotions all the way through one morning (probably Monday) each week, and continue with my reading through the Old Testament the rest of the week. As a result I will post what our assignment is for the week on Sundays, and you can break it into daily readings yourself, if that format works best for you.

Thank you for your input through all of this. It has been a tremendous encouragement and blessing to travel this road with you!

There's something special about videos taken on the road - it captures not only the pictures, but the sights and sounds of where you've been. Enjoy this video that captures in a special way the road before us!

For those of you who are doing the "Through November" study plan, you may have noticed that I am behind in a week in our study. This is because last Sunday's message was not included in the Hebrews series with Mark Altrogge preaching. We chose to read through the book "Worldliness" for the week. It proved to be very beneficial for me, and I hope for you as well.

So, this week's assigned reading is actually listed as "Day 6" on your sheet, but for us it is Day 7. (Remember - we do one day a week!) If you are still confused, which I can certainly understand why you would be, please e-mail me and I'll try to further clarify it for you. Thank you for your patience. I've never done anything like this before.

Why Route 66?

God's Word contains 66 wonderful books that are meant to help us know God and His ways. Traveling the historic Route 66 in the USA is an enjoyable trip, so too, is traveling through God's Word. It is the ancient road that is full of places worth visiting, even camping out for a while, in order to know the God who established His Word for our instruction and growth in godliness.

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Metro Life Church's Statement of Faith Concerning The Scriptures

The Scriptures

We accept the Bible, including the 39 books of the Old Testament and the 27 books of the New Testament, as the written Word of God. The Bible is the only essential and infallible record of God's self-disclosure. It leads us to salvation through faith in Jesus Christ. Being given by God the Scriptures are both fully and verbally inspired by God. Therefore, as originally given, the Bible is free of error in all it teaches. Each book is to be interpreted according to its context and purpose and in reverent obedience to the Lord who speaks through it in living power. All believers are exhorted to study the Scriptures and diligently apply them to their lives. The Scriptures are the authoritative and normative rule and guide of all Christian life, practice, and doctrine. They are totally sufficient and must not be added to, superseded, or changed by later tradition, extra-biblical revelation, or worldly wisdom. Every doctrinal formulation, whether of creed, confession, or theology must be put to the test of the full counsel of God in Holy Scripture

Grace Gems

"All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness--so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." 2 Timothy 3:16-17

The Scriptures are sufficient . . . to inform the ignorant, to confute the erroneous, to reform the wicked, and to guide and direct, support and comfort--the godly.

Here a lamb may wade--and here an elephant may swim!

Here is milk for babes--and meat for strong men!

Here is . . .comfort for the afflicted, andsupport for the tempted, andease for the troubled, andlight for the clouded, andenlargement for the straitened, etc.

Oh, how full of light, how full of life, how full of love, how full of sweetness, how full of goodness, how full of righteousness, how full of holiness, etc.,is every chapter, and every verse in everychapter, yes, and every line in every verse!

No human writings are comparable to Scripture: 1. for antiquity; 2. for rarity; 3. for variety; 4. for brevity; 5. for plainness; 6. for harmony; 7. for verity.All which should greatly encourage Christians, to aserious perusal of them. "Oh, how I love your law!I meditate on it all day long!" Psalm 119:97